Fall Allergies – Smart Solutions

As summer winds to a close and temperatures start to dip, a few things might come to mind. Back to school, football season, pumpkin spice coffee…and fall allergies. Indeed, for many the beauty of autumn is a double-edged sword, as it signals the kick-off of a long fall allergy season for many across North America.

Ragweed

Seasonal allergies affect more than 35 million Americans and cost the U.S. economy more than $7 billion in lost productivity, according to EverydayHealth.com. What are fall allergy season’s top offenders? Ragweed and mold. Ragweed pollen is known for causing hay fever. which actually has nothing to do with hay; rather, it’s a term used to describe the symptoms of late summer allergies, according to the American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology (ACAAI). Ragweed is a common cause of hay fever, which is also known as allergic rhinitis. A single ragweed plant can produce one billion pollen grains per season. Its pollen grains are lightweight, allowing them to easily travel up to 400 miles in the wind. Ragweed has a specific season from late summer (around mid-August) until the first hard freeze, or mid-fall.

Bruce Gordon, MD, an ear, nose, and throat allergy specialist and instructor at Harvard University, told EverydayHealth that east of the Rocky Mountains, ragweed is the main cause of outdoor fall allergies. “Ragweed is common and plentiful, and can be found anywhere from vacant lots, to along the road, to open fields. In areas with colder temperatures, the first frost usually occurs at about the time ragweed pollination ends. In Southern regions, ragweed may pollinate through the winter,” said Dr. Gordon.

In addition to ragweed, mold is the other common cause of fall allergies. Mold spores can also be released when humidity is high, as well as when the weather is dry and windy. If you’ve got mold allergies, avoid tasks like raking, yard work, or even a walk in the park, as it can increase your exposure to pollen and mold, which in turn causes allergy and asthma symptoms.

Even spending time exclusively indoors during fall allergies season isn’t a guarantee that you’ll avoid the symptoms that go along with exposure to allergens, as they have a sneaky way of making their way indoors. Whether it’s through an open door, crack or tracked in on clothing, pollen is an adept traveler, so even your home isn’t completely safe zone. However, being strategic about controlling your indoor environment can payoff for allergy sufferers: focusing on removing allergens and irritants from the air inside your home is possible, and we’ve got the tools you’ll need to create a year-round sanctuary!

Best Air Purifiers for Allergens

The QuietPure HEPA air purifier is quieter, cleans more air and is easier to use than other leading brands. It intelligently monitors actual particle count, volatile organic compound levels, relative humidity and temperature.

The QuietPure HEPA air purifier is quieter, cleans more air and is easier to use than other leading brands. Quietly and quickly reacts to changes in your air quality, ensuring your indoor space feels like a healthy sanctuary.

The only HEPA air purifier and dehumidifier all in one! The Pure & Dry is our best dehumidifier air purifier combo: it dries areas up to 1400 sq. feet PLUS removes microscopic particles from the air like mold and mildew.

The Veridian X310 is our favorite economical robot vacuum cleaner for cleaning hard surface floors, area rugs and wall to wall carpeting. Simple and easy to use, the X310 offers smart sensors to avoid both collisions and falls. An intelligent optical sensor detects dirt levels to ensure you are left with clean, beautiful floors.

The ultimate germ destroying steam mop from PowerSteam, the XR500 heats up faster and provides more consistent steam for cleaning virtually any surface. This 2-in-1 steam mop uses powerful steam to pull dirt and grime up and away from the pours of hard surfaces such as hardwood floors, tile, marble and grout.